She said her sister’s condition began to drastically deteriorate by day three: “At the end of day three, mine cleared up but my sisters’ continued and became more rigorous,” she said. “She also became very lethargic.

“On day four, a lot of blood appeared in the diarrhoea. The blood increased and this was when medical intervention was sought.”

'Sheer damage'

She added more could be done to raise awareness of E.coli and preventative measures: “We feel the majority of people are like we were and have no idea just how bad E.coli can be and the sheer damage it can cause in the human body,” she said.

“E.coli cannot just be transferred through bad hand hygiene of the person. It is also about the hygiene of people who work in food preparation who can so easily spread the bacteria to a victim’s mouth.